July 9, 2025
Minnesota Twins closer
Jhoan Duran secured his 14th save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Duran pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and needed a mere eight pitches to put the Cubs away. That makes five straight scoreless appearances for Duran, whose ERA is down to a microscopic 1.52 in 41 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old has also blown just two saves while posting 45:16 K:BB and a 1.09 WHIP.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
Kansas City Royals closer
Carlos Estevez finished off a 4-3 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday to pick up his 25th save. The right-hander worked around a one-out single by
Adam Frazier to throw a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout on 16 pitches (11 strikes). The 32-year-old remains well on his way to his second 30-save season, and he's easily on pace to eclipse the career-high 31 he totaled in 2023. Estevez also has a sparkling 2.03 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over 40 innings, though he hasn't been a great source of strikeouts (33).
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
Kansas City Royals catcher
Salvador Perez drilled a pair of key home runs to help the club escape with a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Perez smashed a 444-foot solo blast off left-hander
Bailey Falter to give the Royals a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Later, with the game tied 3-3 in the eighth, Perez completed the scoring for the night with a 426-foot shot against righty
Isaac Mattson. He also singled to finish 3-for-4 and continue a tremendous start to July. Perez has gone 13-for-35 with four homers and 11 RBI in nine games this month. The 35-year-old has also increased his OPS by over 100 points since the beginning of June. After a terrible start to the season, he's slashing .245/.285/.427 with 13 HRs, 54 RBI, and 24 runs in 370 plate appearances. Among catchers, only Seattle Mariners MVP candidate
Cal Raleigh has driven in more runs than Perez.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
New York Yankees closer
Devin Williams collected his 13th save of 2025 in a 9-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday. Williams entered in the top of the ninth inning and made quick work of the Mariners, going 1-2-3 on 12 pitches (eight strikes). He struck out both
Dominic Canzone and
Cole Young swinging. The 30-year-old's ERA has fallen to 4.86 (2.51 FIP) with 43:14 K:BB and a 1.17 WHIP in 33 1/3 innings. Williams has endured his share of struggles this year, but his only blown save came way back on April 19.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers closer
Trevor Megill (2-2) earned his second victory of the season in a 3-2 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. The flamethrowing right-hander entered a 2-2 game in the top of the 10th inning and dominated, striking out
Freddie Freeman,
Andy Pages, and
Tommy Edman in order on 13 pitches (11 strikes). The Brewers won in the bottom of the 10th on a
Jackson Chourio walk-off single. Megill, meanwhile, dropped his ERA to 2.41 with 21 saves, a 1.16 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts against 15 walks in 33 2/3 innings. He earned his first All-Star selection on Wednesday.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander
Tyler Glasnow held his own Wednesday in his first major league start since April 27. After missing over two months with shoulder inflammation, Glasnow limited the Milwaukee Brewers to one unearned run on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks over five innings. The 31-year-old threw 85 pitches (53 strikes) and recorded a max velocity of 99.5 mph on the radar gun. The Dodgers fell 3-2 despite Glasnow's efforts, but he did not factor into the decision. Glasnow will head into the second half of the season with a 3.52 ERA and 28:14 K:BB in 23 innings. He could be a major asset for the Dodgers and fantasy managers down the stretch, though staying healthy has typically been a challenge for him.
--Connor ByrneSource: ESPN
July 9, 2025
The New York Yankees have designated infielder
DJ LeMahieu for assignment and recalled rookie infielder
Jorbit Vivas from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The writing was on the wall for LeMahieu when the Yankees demoted him to a bench role on Tuesday to shift
Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third base to second. Although LeMahieu has past third base experience, the 36-year-old is no longer physically capable of handling the position. With both his defensive and offensive skills eroding, the Yankees no longer deemed LeMahieu worthy of a roster spot. The two-time batting champion and former AL MVP candidate hit .266/.338/.336 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 142 plate appearances this year before the Yankees cut him from their roster. New York will pay approximately $22 million to get rid of LeMahieu, who will head to the open market in the coming days. LeMahieu may find another team in free agency, but his days of fantasy relevance are over.
--Connor ByrneSource: New York Yankees
July 9, 2025
Washington Nationals starter
Trevor Williams (elbow) has a partial tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament and will require surgery, according to Spencer Nusbaum of the Washington Post. Williams expects to have internal brace surgery, not a full Tommy John procedure, but he'll still miss the rest of the season and perhaps some of the 2026 campaign. This news ends a brutal season for Williams, who re-signed with the Nationals on a two-year, $14 million contract last winter. The 33-year-old struggled to a 3-10 record with a 6.21 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP, 65 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 82 2/3 innings.
--Connor ByrneSource: Spencer Nusbaum - The Washington Post
July 9, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever
Michael Kopech (knee) has undergone surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports. The Dodgers moved Kopech from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL as a result. Kopech's IL stint dates back to June 28, meaning he won't be eligible to return until the end of August. The Dodgers do expect Kopech back before the year is out, but this will largely go down as an injury-ruined regular season for him. The 29-year-old didn't debut until June 8 after dealing with an impingement in his right shoulder. He pitched well in eight appearances between IL stints, throwing seven scoreless, three-hit innings with eight strikeouts, four walks, and five holds.
--Connor ByrneSource: Bill Plunkett - Orange County Register
July 9, 2025
Houston Astros outfielder
Jake Meyers (calf) was in the team's lineup on Wednesday, but he exited before their game against the Cleveland Guardians began. Meyers left the field during pregame warmups with help from an athletic trainer. The 29-year-old had been set to return from the right-calf injury that he suffered in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Instead, the Astros shifted
Mauricio Dubon to center field and subbed in the aptly named
Zack Short to handle shortstop. The club should have more on Meyers' status after the game.
UPDATE: Meyers has right-calf tightness, the Astros announced.--Connor ByrneSource: Mark Berman
July 9, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfielder
Byron Buxton (hand) departed the team's game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday after suffering a left-hand contusion on a hit by pitch. X-rays came back negative for a fracture, and Buxton is considered day-to-day, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports. Buxton led off the bottom of the first inning against Cubs starter
Cade Horton with the HBP, but he stayed in until the Twins pinch-hit
Brooks Lee for him in the second. The two-time All-Star stole a base and scored a run before exiting. Buxton has an extensive injury history that has prevented him from reaching his full potential, though it appears he dodged disaster in this case. The 31-year-old has stayed healthy for most of this season and posted fantastic production. He's hitting .270/.338/.544 with 20 homers, 53 RBI, 60 runs, and 17 steals across 320 plate appearances.
--Connor ByrneSource: Dan Hayes - The Athletic
July 9, 2025
Miami Marlins outfielder
Kyle Stowers is absent from the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Stowers will head to the bench for the first time since June 29. The left-handed slugger has been solid recently with at least one hit in 13 of his last 15 games. In his absence,
Heriberto Hernandez will take over in left field and bat third versus left-hander
Andrew Abbott. Hernandez doesn't offer enough upside to warrant streaming against a tough southpaw in Abbott. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 9, 2025
Miami Marlins outfielder
Jesus Sanchez is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Sanchez will head to the bench for the first time since June 29. This appears to be a routine rest day for Sanchez who is hitting .321 over the last week.
Dane Myers will cover right field and bat sixth versus left-hander
Andrew Abbott on Wednesday. Sanchez should be drawing more interest in deep leagues with his play recently. Myers isn't worth a look as a streaming option against a tough southpaw in Abbott.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 9, 2025
Atlanta Braves outfielder
Ronald Acuna Jr. (back) is returning to the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Athletics. Acuna was scratched from Tuesday's contest due to lower back tightness. Luckily, Acuna will only miss one game and is back in the leadoff spot and playing right field versus right-hander
Mitch Spence on Wednesday. Acuna has been in a little slump at the plate, but he remains a must-start in all fantasy formats. It's unclear if this back issue is going to impact him performing in the upcoming Home Run Derby. Regardless, fantasy managers can get Acuna back in their lineups on Wednesday.
--Andy WebbSource: mlb.com
July 9, 2025
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder
Max Kepler (shin) was forced to make an early exit from Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Kepler seemed fine until being pulled out for
Johan Rojas in the eighth inning. It has been revealed that Kepler is dealing with a right shin contusion, so fantasy managers should consider him as day-to-day. He finished this game 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI. The Phillies are off on Thursday, so possibly Kepler is back in the mix on Friday. If not, Rojas could see more action in the outfield over the weekend.
--Andy WebbSource: Lochlahn March
RADIO
